State board approves EOU’s independent governing proposal

The State Board of Higher Education endorsed with conditions Eastern Oregon University’s request for an independent governing board today during its meeting in Portland.

“This provides a clear pathway forward, guided by people who will be focused solely on the success of this university,” said EOU President Bob Davies. “I couldn’t be more pleased.”Davies devoted recent months gathering input from university and community groups, which aided his decision in selecting and recommending an appropriate governing structure for EOU.

“It became very clear that having an independent governing board for Eastern will maximize our ability to manage and fulfill our mission,” Davies explained. “This is a wonderfully exciting time and an incredibly positive step for EOU’s future.”

The State Board of Higher Education’s Task Force on Governance heard the university’s initial request in early March. Today the full State Board of Higher Education voted to endorse Davies’ recommendation with conditions, which will be agreed on over the next 45 days.

EOU and the other regional and technical universities in Oregon began exploring options following the 2013 passage of Senate Bill 270, which created governing boards for the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Portland State University.